The End or the Beginning?
by Hellmouth23
Summary: Can Kate be saved in time? JATE Onehsot. Sequel to "Missing".


**The End** **or the Beginning?**

**Okay first off I never thought I'd say this but it's so good to be back home, and what better way to get back in the homey mood than to resume with my usual schedule of updates, starting with this one. Hope you guys like it and thanks for all the lovely feedback on it's prequel "Missing." **

**Unlike it's prequel this one shot will branch away from the song fic and point of view aspect because I seem to be doing that a lot lately and hey that's what my jate fic "Speak your mind" is there for lol. Although I must warn you guys that something will come to light in the next few chapters of that fic. Something that could potentially affect things on a monumental scale, but enough about that fic and back to this one hehe.**

**So will Kate survive or is it in fact too late?**

**Enjoy**

_Everything is a blur to __me now, but what still sticks out the most is hearing that piercing cry of terror. A cry strong enough to drive a solid wedge straight through my already breaking heart and I only hope that it's not as bad as it looks._

_Please, please forgive me….._

"Kate!! Wake up." He demands through his growing emotions once he finally manages to remove her bloodied and oddly contorted body out from what used to be her car.

_Nothing_

"Damnit" he mutters in frustration and dread when he feels her pulse weakening with every moment he wastes here simply hoping for some sort of miracle or God to take action here.

"Kate can you hear me?" he then vows to try once again while searching his mind for a medical way to go about this, but he would be credible enough to state that something like this would not be his particular line of expertise and forcing it to be would only make matters worse. He couldn't do that to anyone, especially her.

_I got your back._

The words suddenly flashed through his mind, almost awakening him with a jolt of realisation, and with that he whisked her into his arms and rushed towards his abandoned jeep. Practically violating every traffic law on the way there, but unconcerned about it in any way because what mattered to him the most in this world was now lying virtually lifeless in the passenger seat next to him.

Almost out of instinct he then pulled her closer to him, longing to feel her warmth once again but all he did receive in return was the same result, and as much as it shattered his hope, it also awarded him with a new found determination. One that had him increasing the acceleration even more on his jeep.

_I'm gonna fix this._

An agonising fifteen minutes later and he was finally pulling into a place he hadn't been to in the last few months mainly cause of all the new things slowly taking over his life, specifically the drugs and alcohol, but what better method was there to make the pain go away.

"I need some help here!!" he shouted the moment he barged through the double door entrance of the Hospital, holding Kate closely with his arms and reluctant to let go of her at first, but he was left with no choice but to put his trust in the people who now gathered around him.

"What happened Jack?" an approaching Doctor asked as the nurses placed Kate on a spare gurney, and then rolled her towards the ER.

He was momentarily surprised to say the least that the people around here still knew who he was. However he was slightly taken aback when he was suddenly restricted from accompanying Kate any further.

"I need to…" he tried explaining but he was abruptly cut off by the man across from him. The new Chief of Surgery seeing as Jack turned it down at the time. Though the real reason was that he was afraid of his Father's prediction coming true despite everything that happened on the island. In trueness of it all it meant nothing without her.

"What really happened?"

For some reason he couldn't help but be angered at this man's insinuation behind the question. Though what reined him in from physically acting on that anger was her. He was always astounded by the power she held over him, but he never thought to question it because in his mind it was all part of being in love.

_Being under her spell_

"She's clean." Jack offered getting right to the point of what the man was trying to get at, and with that he walked off leaving Jack to worry yet hope that she would be okay.

(Some time later)

Parading up and down the length of the corridor didn't seem to ease his worry, that was until he spotted Jake.

The moment he caught sight of him heading his way, he felt it wasn't the news he was expecting to hear and the grave look adorning the Jake's face was enough to confirm his dreaded assumptions.

"Is she okay?" he felt the need to ask despite predicting the answer

_Please God no…._

"I'm sorry." Jake reluctantly revealed while hanging his head in shame and respect.

The words were spoken yet he refused to believe them, not until he saw it for himself.

"No." he stated clearly in denial of what he had just heard and the man across from him sighed in defeat, knowing that this was always the hardest and honestly the worst part of his job.

"Jack we tried. We tried everything but there was just……"

"I wanna see her Jake." Jack demanded in an attempt to block out what he felt was utter nonsense.

_Fate wouldn't bring them this far only to bring it to a dead end._

"Jack you might not…."

"I want to see her." Jack repeated in a slow and clear manner to get his point across and in return he was given nothing other than his wish.

For what seemed like the longest moment of his entire life he finally reached the door to her room and tried his hardest to hold in the emotions he already felt swelling to reach the surface and overflow. However all that staying power was completely thrown out the window the moment he opened the door to be graced with a sight that left him feeling and wanting to be dead.

The entire left side of her face was now completely covered in blood, blocking any remnants of her once lively features. Her eyes were closed and still and her mouth lay slightly open almost wanting to be brought to life, but not granted the right for some absurd reason. In that split moment he wanted to be that person but knew he couldn't because this was no fairytale. This was harsh and real.

_She's gone, she's……._

_Dead_

The realisation finally sunk in and with that he slowly walked towards the now lifeless shell of a woman he loved more than words could ever express.

"Kate." He choked out and then fell to his knees before her, letting everything go. The pain, the frustration all of it and out of sheer instinct he then grabbed hold of her hand, still hoping on some level that he would feel some confirmation of life whilst he held it, but unlike every other time this was different. This time there would be no reassurance or comfort for him to be offered from the one person he truly believed was genuine, despite her shady past.

_No one __to have his back in the way she did._

With that in mind he finally lifted his sunken tear streaked face and decided to capture one last look at her. His right index finger reaching out to caress the frame of her face in the same way he had done so many times in his dreams.

"I love you Kate." He confessed in a trembling tone, soon giving precedence to his grief once again, but equally determined to carry out what he now felt was necessary to seal the end of this journey. Although the moment he stood up to act on it he was suddenly gripped by a hand he never thought would have the power to do so. As a confirmation he then turned his face to meet hers now staring right back at him.

"Kate wha……"

"Wake up Jack." She spoke in chillingly soulless manner, and before he could respond he was hit with a blinding flash and back in the Hospital waiting area.

_It was just a dream_ _._

Without wasting any time to question it he was off his chair and literally sprinting towards the ER, only to be stopped halfway by the person he was dreading yet relieved at the same time to meet.

"Is she…." He hesitated to ask hoping with every fibre of his being that he wouldn't get the same answer as he did in the dream.

"She lost a lot of blood on the way here…."

_Please no..._

"But she's gonna be fine." He finished bringing a smile of utter relief to Jack's face and Jake couldn't help but join in with his elation. This was the one perk about being a Doctor, making a difference in someone's life and not just the patient.

"Thanks to you." Jake added and Jack couldn't help but cower in the face of a deed that was surely considered heroic in anyone's eyes.

"Can I see her?" Jack then asked and Jake nodded in agreement but still took the time to express the seriousness of her condition. One that was cleared up he escorted Jack towards her room and then allowed him to take care of things from there on.

The moment he entered the room he desperately wanted to close his eyes, still half expecting to see what he saw in his dream.

"Jack" he then heard his name being called out in a tone he couldn't mistake with any other.

_It's her. It's really her._

"Hey." He warmly replied as he approached and sat beside her on the bed, briefly frowning at the scars that marked her beautiful skin, but still nothing could be worse than seeing what he saw in the dream. The very image was enough to rouse his emotions and as if sensing his distress she placed her hand on the side of his face. Softly caressing every inch of his rough yet familiar skin, and in return he placed his larger hand over hers while placing his mouth to the center of her palm.

"I thought I'd lost you." He admitted in a whisper while closing his eyes and leaning further into the warmth he felt was his home.

"Me too." She replied knowing that he knew what she was really implying by her statement, and before he could appease her with an explanation, she leaned forward with all the strength her body could muster at the time and placed her lips against his.

He was admittedly shocked by the action at first but gladly gave into it, cautiously placing his hand on the side of her face to deepen the kiss and show her how much he wanted this.

Once she did pull away much to his disappointment, she immediately mouthed a three worded confession that had him elated to say the least, and it also made him realise that this wasn't the end.

It was just the beginning.


End file.
